Gettysburg - Day 1

On Day 1 Confederate forces under Gen Heth attacked towards Gettysburg where they encountered Buford's cavalry blocking the road and further Union units moving up from the town. The aim of the scenario is for the Rebs to capture both ridges and push the Union back into the town.

The Union begins with Buford's cavalry (mounted skirmishers) on McPherson's Ridge and half of Reynolds troops on Seminary Ridge while the rest move up the road. 

The Rebs have Davis and Archer heading up the road with Pettigrew entering on the east side looking to flank around Archer. Some lively fire from the Confederate artillery pushed Buford's gun off the hill and began to weaken his mounted.

After about 4 turns Buford had lost half his troops and so pulled the rest back to Seminary Ridge with the Rebs in hot pursuit. 

View from the Seminary

The Confederates moved up to capture McPherson's Ridge, but some bad command dice slowed them down and meant the advance towards Seminary Ridge was more piecemeal than they would have liked. 

McPherson's Ridge falls

After about 9 turns the Rebs were ready to attack with both Davis and Archer attacking the two ends of Seminary Ridge. Both attacks bounced off with poor morale rippling through the units. They paused to regather themselves and attacked again, with Pettigrew taking over from the spent Archer in the east. 

Again the attacks failed to dislodge Reynolds troops from the top of the ridge. The game was drawn after 13 moves with one Ridge occupied by each side. The ability of the Union to safely stand in close order because the Confederate guns were unable to target them proved crucial.

 

Battle of Chickamauga

Our second big battle is also from the west and takes place about 9 months after the first. This is a reverse of the previous game with the Confederates on the attack.

The Union troops deployed mostly behind a series of defences along the turnpike with Wood caught out of position by the Confederate attack.

The Rebs massed most of their troops in the centre and to the west, with wooded terrain covering their advance but also slowing them down.

Wood opted to deploy in a defensive posture and so seek to weather the storm rather than try to re-join the lines.

The Confederates advanced in the west looking to put immediate pressure on Wood's command while over in the east Forrest's cavalry attacked the open Union flank forcing them to redeploy their reserves immediately. 

Rebs attack in the east

Wood's command

Greatly out numbered Wood found himself pushed back and heavily pressed. Centrally the Rebs advanced near the forest edge and so tied-up the bulk of the Union forces who dare not leave their trenches.

Forrest probed with his skirmisher and tried a probing attack with his cavalry. He was making only slow progress but was keeping the Federal front line honest.

Steady fire from the Confederates weakened the Union troops and one broke leaving a whole on the east flank. With Woods too far away to help this left the Unions flanks open to attack. 

At the close of play the Union eastern flank was heavily damaged and about to be swamped. Woods was all but spent and about to withdraw. The centre was largely fresh but unable to disengage due to the Rebs waiting in the forest and the west flank had been turned. Defeat seemed very likely with only 6 turns player and 9 more to come.  

Centre

West flank 

 

Stones River - part 2

 

Last week we left the game with both sides attacking on their left flanks. The Union attack was going well with most units undamaged but the Confederate position was somewhat stalled.   

In the east the Confederate forces massed in the woods for a big push against the defenders, with one unit pushed wider to flank the position. As they emerged from the edge of the woods they met a wall of lead and shot, with Union troops from the centre also supporting the defenders.  

 

Sniper delays the Rebs attack

The results were devastating on the Rebs and they were sent reeling back into the woods. With casualties heavy the attack was effectively over and the eastern objectives secure for the Union. 

In the centre the Union troops pressed forward in support of the flank attack in the west. The aim was to apply some pressure on the Confederate defenders and keep them pinned in the middle to the field. The Rebs did dally briefly with launching a counter-attack but in the end they stayed put in their trenches. 

The big action was in the west where the Union assaulted the hill that was the anchor of the Confederate lines. The Rebs tried a cunning move of falling back from the defences so they could not be shot and hoped to then charge the Union as they hit the trenches.   

This was somewhat successful in delaying the Federal troops but their big numerical advantage meant they were able to grind-down the defenders and take the hill.    

So the final result was a win for the Union forces.